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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · trunk · cap · chip · bank · stock · bay · calf

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. chip — to eat
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stock — shares
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bank — for money
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stock — goods
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bank — for money
  24. cap — a hat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com